Forensic Pathologist: The Salary & Benefits

Forensic pathologists experience variations in salaries just as every other career field. Those with the most experience generally have higher salaries than those with less as do those with more education. Various employers pay forensic pathologists different salaries as well, with those working for the federal government having some of the higher salaries.

Experience

Forensic pathologists with 10 to 19 years of experience have a salary range of $122,500 to $199,500, according to PayScale.com, while those just beginning with less than one year of experience have a reported range of $10,100 to $122,100.

Employer Type

Forensic pathologists have the option to work with several different types of employers, each of which may of course operate in a different way. If you're interested in great benefits, consider working for the government. Both federal and state and local governments employ forensic pathologists. Hospitals and private practices or firms also employ forensic pathologists. Those working for hospitals have a salary range of $10,000 to $110,000 as of March 2010. Those working for the state and local governments have a salary range of $72,400 to $155,500.

Industry

Not only do various types of employers hire forensic pathologists, various industries also hire them. Some of these industries include medical offices or pathology clinics, but a large portion of them also work in law enforcement or government. As of March 2010, those working in medical services have a higher salary range than those working in hospitals. Those in medical services have a salary range of $45,500 to $135,000, while those in hospitals have a range of $42,000 to $120,000, according to PayScale.

Location

Like many other jobs, salaries for forensic pathologists are not the same from state to state because of differences in cost of living. Forensic pathologists in California have some of the higher salaries. According to PayScale, Californian forensic pathologists have a salary range of $91,600 to $196,500. On the opposite coast, forensic pathologists living or working in New York have a salary range of $70,000 to $185,000.

Benefits

Not only do positions for forensic pathologists pay well, perhaps more important, they have great benefits. According to PayScale, some of these benefits include paid holidays and vacations, as well as paid sick leaves, which are definite pluses. A forensic pathologist may also receive a 401k matching, life and/or disability insurance, malpractice and/or liability insurance and a cell phone allowance. If they're lucky, a forensic pathologist may be offered flex-time or a flexible schedule.